The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-10-07
hisrellancnms.
HARTFORD COUNTY's REVOLUTION
AIRY RECORD.
Mostly from Original Documents.
BY GEO. W. ARCHER.
NVIII

~" CCuncN Of Sqtety
| Gentlemen: Enclosed we send you the Decla-
ration of Independence, and the letter that ac.
| COMMANDED II from Congress to the convention,
| requesting that II should be proclaimed in your
| county in the manner you judge most proper for
| the Information of the people.
We are; Gentlemen, your most obd't sery'ts
| BY order, DAN. of st THOs. JENIFER, Prst"
| committee of Hartford county,
The following is the letter alluded to above:
| "GeRteDea: Although It'll not possible to fore
| see the consequences of human action, yet it is
nevertheless a duty we owe to ourselves and
| posterity in all our public counsels to decide
| in the best manner we are able and to trust tho
event to that Being who controls both causes
and events, so as to bring about His own deter
minaton.
Impressed with this sentiment and at the
same time fully convinced that our affairs may
take Il more formidable turn, the Congress have
Judged it necessary to dissolve all connection be-
tween Great Britain and the American Colonies
as You viii perceiv{soy the enclosed deearatio s,
which am directed by Congress to transmit 10
you, and 10 request you will have it proc aimed
in your Colony in the way you may think most
proper Per- =, nor, =. o0,s0orano0, a., ,uo-,
States from this declaration of Independence,
considered as the ground and foundation OF
future Government, will naturally suggest the
propriety of procaiming 1t in such a manner
AS that the people may be universally Informed
of it.
servt. JOHN HANCOCK, President"
Honorable Convention of Maryland"
1t is worthy of notice that while so many
words in the last two documents begin with cap
ttals the immortal Declaration seems to have been
born and chrstened with a little d. Does any
one know the exact mode by which it was pro-
claimed hereabouts The Congress, it seems, left
the mode of proclamation to the convention
which in its turn left it TO the committee. 1t
seems a little strange that as there was a news
paper published in Annapolis and one in Balti-
more the convention did not use them as chan
nels for the purpose designated. The conven-
ton had, on the very day the great Declaration
formally signed, passed rpaOlye
the death penalty on all who should in any way,
whatsoever. after the 9th of August, afford aid or
comfort to the enemy, aud had ordered said re-
solve 10 be published at once in the Maryland
Gazette. AS there was no printing! press then in
Hartford il is possible that manuscript copies were
hurriedly made by direction of the committee
and sent TO various places of public resort in the
county to be there posted or read aloud. is there
any such copy extant? If so, it should be care
fully preserved and treasured for its precious
associations.
"In Council Of SAFETY,
annapolis, July 10th, l778
"Geanemen: 1t will be impossible for us to
attend so particularly as we could wish to every
part of the enclosed resolves, and therefore
must reques the favour of you, Though we
are, conscious IT will give you a good
the nature of the subject end your sit
uation will admit. of. to comply with them,
particularly in borrowing tireoeks from such Of
pledged that the same shall be returned In the |
like good condition as received, in case of loss
the value thereof; In having them valued, and |
also IN collecting sufficient quantity of blank |
cts for the troops directed to be raised in your
county for the Flying Camp; and If practicable
apprehensive there will be In some other counties
We wish the defective arms which may be COL |
should be repaired and fitted there. if possible |
and therefore request you will exert yourselves |
In your endeavors to have them done as cxpedi-
tiOusly as you can. We desire to know how |
many arms you have, which have been delivered |
In By those who have not subscribed the associa-
tiou or enrolled in the militia.
I'VE have already u sufficient quantity of car
touch boxes, bayonet-bcts, and sings; and have |
advertised with persons to contract with us for
making knapsacks, with haversacks, printing
wires, and brushes. But il you can recommend
to us any who will engage to supply the public |
to you. Steel ramrods, we presume, you will
b. able to get made, but are doubtful as to bay
onets; however, ii you ca provide them also we
would have you do II.
I'VE will send you by Arst opportunity some
cash to buy guns and blankets, which we request
ceeded four pounds Ave shillings for musquet
with steel ramrod and bayonet, but upon this
occasion would have you go as high as four
chase without either ought not to cost so much
that the necessary repairs and providing RAM
pounds five shllings, unless they are very good |
in which case we will also allow four pounds ten
sh w nrs G ontIemsn vour h,n,o .erv,t,
by order, DANof ST. THos. JENIFER, Pr'st."
"Committee of Hartford county:
The following ire the resolves" referred to in
I'm Convention, June 25th 1778
"ReSOived. That such of the militia as have eff
fective tirelocks use the same; that such of them
as have hrelocks not effective, but that may be
made so by small repairs, have such repairs done
ut the expense of this Province and use their
own tirelocks and those who have not effective
fireocks be furnished by the Council of Safety
out of the arms now belonging to, or that shall
be procured for, the use OF the public and by the
Committees of Observation In the respective
counties where they enlist out Of the arms 10
from those who have not subscribed the associa-
tion or have not enrolled in the militia as far as
such arms shall extend and the deficiency shall
be made up by borrowing the firelocks of such of
the militia as will lend on the public faith, which
is hereby pledged to return the same in the like
thereof. And all fireocks so to be lent shalt be
valued by two free holders. and certificate
the men supplied Herewith, of the receipt and
value of the said arms.
Extract from the Minutes.
,c.,,...,u, G. DUvALL, Clk."
I'm Council Of safety.
"0rdered. that the committee OF Hartford
county be requested to deliver to Col. William
Hyde or hIs order, all he nmusquets aceSutre,
for the use OF the public, and which they have
received from Mr.. Richard Dalam.
Il. RIDGELY. Chairman.
william Hyde was Lieutenant Colonel of the
DR.. Josias Carroll Hall of this county was Colo
mel. Richard Dalam, committeeman of Har-
lord county, was paymaster and commissary of
the Flying Camp.
'.Bditimo,e To'cn, aug 18th, l778
, Chdt,mldn Of the Committee for Hd,yord county.
SIR: The Council of Safety have directed me
to apply to you for sixty stands of arms for the
use OF Col. Halls battalion, together with all the
accoutrements you have In your possession. In
of which have enclosed you their
order by a Sergeant (wiliam Cooper, of Capt.
Bennett Bussey's company who has wagon
with him; hope you will despatch him as soon
as possible, as we are In the greatest want Of
every necessary.
1 am with Respect, your obed't serv't
WIN. HYDE"
IN. D. 1t is reported here that Lord Dins-
more with his fleet Is now In Hampton Roads,"
"DiFecttons 10 Sergeant Ipnl. CO0per." |
You are to proceed Immediately 10 the
of Hartford county, there to receive
such arms and accoutrements as they shall de- |
liver to you and return to Baltimore Town with ,
all the care and despatch you possibly can.
WIN. HYDE"
The above is endorsed as follows: "l778 Aug.
18th. Received from the committee of Hartford
bounty 62 musquets and 81 cartrdge-boxes in
OF the wltten order, as also As bay
)nets. WIN COOpER